Self-adhering medication time reminder

ABSTRACT

A medication time reminder having a dial member adapted to be set at a predetermined time within a total time interval, such as 1 day, marked in increments on the edge of a disc adjacent the dial member to serve as a reminder when medication or the like should be taken. The back face of this disc is bonded to a layer of elastomeric form which has a pressure sensitive adhesive coated on its outer face, thereby adapting the medication time reminder for mounting on virtually any desired surface, such as the cap of a pill container, or the like.

[ Nov. 25, 1975 1 1 SELF-ADHERING MEDICATION TIME REMINDER [76] Inventor: William Joseph Fish, 8616 West 144th St., Orland Park, Ill. 60462 [22] Filed: July 25, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 382,587

2,587,147 2/1952 Gulon et al. 116/121 Primary ExaminerS. Clement Swisher Assistant Examiner-Denis E. Corr Attorney, Agent, or FirmHilll, Gross, Simpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson [57] ABSTRACT A medication time reminder having a dial member adapted to be set at a predetermined time within a total time interval, such as 1 day, marked in increments on'the edge of a disc adjacent the dial member to serve as a reminder when medication or the like should be taken. The back face of this disc is bonded to a layer of elastomeric form which has a pressure sensitive adhesive coated on its outer face, thereby adapting the medication time reminder for mounting on virtually any desired surface, such as the cap of a pill container, or the like.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures US, Ptant N0v.25, 1975 SheetlofZ 3,921,568

U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet2of2 3,921,568

SELF-ADHERING MEDICATION TIME REMINDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Methods and means for reminding or prompting one to utilize medication at a scheduled time have come into common though somewhat limited use. However, most of such time reminders are dependent upon apparatus which is integral with a particular, specialized article, such as a container for pills or the like, which is discarded when empty or an illness is cured (whichever occurs first). Sometimes it is difficult, if not impossible, to find a suitable or appropriate container having such an integral medication time reminder.

Moreover, apparently most of the medication holding containers made today have no medication time reminder means associated therewith whatsoever. Thus, a patient desiring to use a particular medication stored in such a container, particularly when such medication is to be used in combination with other, separate medications, or when such medication is to be taken which the patient involved with other independent activities, has a problem in being reminded, and in knowing, when he is to take such a medication as prescribed.

While the need for a simple, inexpensive, separate time reminder device which will not only remind one when medication should be taken, but will also attach to a medication container, or elsewhere, as desired, is very great, few, if any, such devices are known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There has now been discovered a simple, inexpensive, time reminder for medication or the like which is adapted for attachment easily and simply to a container, or the like, as desired. This time reminder is safe and reliable to use, particularly in the vicinity of infants.

This time reminder is easy and economical to fabricate using metal and/or plastic components and requires no maintenance in use.

If desired, this time reminder may be reused, usually by simply detaching and reattaching, though the entire attachment means employed may be removed and replaced before another use or attachment, if necessary or desirable easily and simply.

Other and further aims, objects, purposes, advantages, utilities, and features will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the present specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a medication time reminder of this invention mounted upon the top face of the cap of a medication container;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 before assembly thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the time-inscribed disc used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, detailed 'view in vertical section taken axially through the embodiment of FIG. 1, some parts thereof broken away and some parts thereof shown in section;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the medication time reminder according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. l4, a time reminder 10 employs a clisc-shaped member 11 having an aperture 12 defined in the center thereof. Peripherally located on member 11 adjacent the circumferential edge on one face 17 thereof are markings adapted to designate intervals of time, here shown as number increments 24 for the A.M. and the P.M. hours. i

A dial member here shown as a second disc shaped member 14 has an opening 15 defined centrally therein. Member 14 is adapted to designate particular ones of said increments 24 on face 17 when member 14 is adjacent such face 17 with opening 15 aligned with aperture 12. Here, for purposes of showing particular pre-chosen ones of increments 24, a slot 16 is provided in member 14. Slot 16 radially extends to an edge of member 14 from a position which is radially outwardly adjacent the opening 15. Although here shown as a disc, it will be appreciated that a dial member can be of any convenient or desired form or shape of metal or plastic and need not be circular.

Extending through aperture 12 and opening 15 and mounting disc-shaped member 11 in adjacent engage ment with said dial member 14 for rotational movements of dial member 14 about opening 15 thereof relative to face 17 of disc-shaped member 11 is a pivot means, here shown as a metallic rivet 19, though the pivot means can be in any convenient form.

A layer 20 of elastomeric foam such as polyurethane, polybutadiene, or the like, having spaced, generally parallel face is provided. One face 21 is coated with a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive while at least a portion of the other face 22 thereof is bonded by any convenient adhesive in face to face engagement with the other face 18 of disc-shaped member 11. Conveniently and preferably both faces 21 and 22 are coated with the same pressure sensitive adhesive, and more preferably such pressure sensitive adhesive is one of the permanently tacky variety.

Such an elastomeric foam material is commonly available commercially in a sheet form so coated on its faces with such an adhesive, and such faces are each covered with a layer comprised of a protective, adhering, peelable sheet member. Thus, in fabricating a layer 20, it is convenient to shape the boundaries thereof, as by cutting or the like before removing such protective sheet members 23 and 32. Indeed, it is preferred in one way of fabricating a medication time reminder 10 first to assemble those components indicated herein on the pivot means, and to prepare a layer 20, and then to remove one sheet member, here sheet 32 and to mount the layer 20 against the face 18 of member 11. However, any convenient fabrication procedure may be employed, as those skilled in the art will well appreciate. At any rate, it is generally convenient and preferred to keep the other face 21 of layer 20 protected with sheet 23 until a time reminder 10 is to be mounted on a surface, such as the top face of a cap 25 of a pill container 26, or the like.

While the outer perimeter of a layer 20 can have any convenient form, it is preferred to use a circular periphery therefor whose diameter approaches that of the disc shaped member 11. Layer 20 can be of any conve nient thickness; one preferred range is from about 0.05 to 0.15 inch when layer 20 is in a relaxed state.

A medication time reminder is preferably equipped with boss means between disc-shaped member 11 and the dial member 14, the boss means being located circumferentially of said pivot means. In the embodiment shown, such a boss means is provided by the washer 27; however, the boss means could be integrally formed with either the members 14 or the member 11, if desired, as when such members, or either one thereof, is formed of molded plastic material.

Since a rivet, such as rivet 19, must have its end 28 flattened after the sub-assembly mounted thereon is completed, it is convenient and preferred when using a metal rivet 19 to position a washer 29 adjacent the face 18 of disc shaped member 11 between disc shaped member 11 and layer 20. Washer 29 is adopted to provide a flattened, structural surface against which, when rivet 19 is inserted into and through aperture 12 and opening with the head 30 thereof adjacent the outer, exposed surface of the dial member 14, the end of rivet 19 is spreadable without appreciable or substantial distortion of reminder 10, or, especially of member 11. Member 11 is usually rather thin and so does not possess a great deal of structural integrity.

A given pivot means is preferably adopted to keep the associated sub-assembly components so engaged with one another that a slight positive pressure must be applied tangentially to dial member 14 before dial member 14 rotates about (here) rivet 19, so that vibration or the like does not jar or shift member 14 relative to member 11 when reminder 14 is in a mounted configuration as on a cap 25.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one can, if desired, package, as for marketing purposes, (a) the sub-assembly of the pivot means and elements mounted thereon and (b) the separate layer 20 preformed but with neither sheets 23 and 32 removed.

A plurality of such separate layers 20 can be included with a single such sub-assembly thereby to permit a user to reuse a reminder 10 a number of times on different containers by replacing the layer 20 when and if desirable or necessary, as by pealing from member 11.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, another time reminder 35 employs a disc-shaped member 36 which has markings which are peripherally located on one face 38 thereof generally adjacent the circumferential edge 39 thereof. The markings are adopted to designate intervals of time. Disc shaped member 36 is received within an outer pointer member 41 comprising a circular base plate portion 42 having an integral, outer, circular, peripheral, upwardly, axially extending flange 43. Flange 43 has a terminal, integral radially in-turned lip 44, the lip 44 with conveniently being slightly radially, elastomerically expansible to receive therethrough the disc-shaped member 36, as in a snap-fit. A ridge 45 can be provided on face 38 of member 36 to permit turning of member 36 relative to member 41. A rib 48 on lip 44 is provided to indicate particular time intervals marked on face 38. A layer 46, constructed similarly to layer 20 of reminder 10, is secured to the bottom face of member 41 with the pressure sensitive adhesive being provided on one face 48 of layer 46. Reminder 35, by removing protective, peelable sheet 47 is mountable against a desired surface.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a layer 20 or a layer 46 is adopted to conform to various relatively minor surface irregularities existing at the situs where a reminder 10 or 35 is to be mounted.

Other and further embodiments and variations of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the present specification taken together with the drawings and no undue limitations are to be inferred or implied from the present disclosure.

1 claim:

1. A time reminder for medication or the like and adapated for association with a container comprising:

a sub-assembly having a face and comprising a pointer member and a disc-shaped member, said disc-shaped member having a center and having markings peripherially located on one face thereof adjacent the circumferential edge thereof, said markings adapted to designate intervals of time, said pointer member having a circular base plate having an integral, outer, circular, peripheral, upwardly, axially, extending flange, said flange having an integral, terminal, radially intumed lip, said lip being slightly radially elastomerically expansible to receive therethrough said disc-shaped member in assembled relationship for relative rotation therebetween about the center of the disc-shaped member so that the pointer member designates particular ones of said markings, the pointer member provides the face of the sub-assembly, and

a layer of elastomeric foam having spaced, generally parallel faces, at least one face thereof being coated with a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive, a portion of the other face thereof being in a faceto-face detachable connection with the face of the sub-assembly, and a protective sheet member peelably adhering to the one face of the layer so that removal of the sheet member exposes the pressuresensitive adhesive and enables attachment of the time reminder to a surface of a container. 

1. A time reminder for medication or the like and adapated for association with a container comprising: a sub-assembly having a face and comprising a pointer member and a disc-shaped member, said disc-shaped member having a center and having markings peripherially located on one face thereof adjacent the circumferential edge thereof, said markings adapted to designate intervals of time, said pointer member having a circular base plate having an integral, outer, circular, peripheral, upwardly, axially, extending flange, said flange having an integral, terminal, radially inturned lip, said lip being slightly radially elastomerically expansible to receive therethrough said disc-shaped member in assembled relationship for relative rotation therebetween about the center of the disc-shaped member so that the pointer member designates particular ones of said markings, the pointer member provides the face of the sub-assembly, and a layer of elastomeric foam having spaced, generally parallel faces, at least one face thereof being coated with a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive, a portion of the other face thereof being in a face-to-face detachable connection with the face of the sub-assembly, and a protective sheet member peelably adhering to the one face of the layer so that removal of the sheet member exposes the pressure-sensitive adhesive and enables attachment of the time reminder to a surface of a container. 